1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a compound switch that is used as an operating switch etc. for operating a car navigation system or other on-vehicle equipment.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the car navigation systems have come into wide use, the number of vehicles including a car navigation system as standard equipment has increased. In the case where the car navigation system is included as standard equipment, a center control switch for operating the car navigation system is integrally assembled on the front surface of a dashboard.
The center control switch of this type has a large number of switch operating portions such as eight independent eight-direction buttons, which are used when a cursor on a car navigation operation screen is operated, and a determination button. On the other hand, on the front surface of the dashboard, the operating portions of various switches such as an air conditioner operating switch that has existed before the widespread use of car navigation system are also assembled integrally. Therefore, in the case where the car navigation system is included as standard equipment, the number of switch operating portions arranged in a planar form on the front surface of dashboard increases inevitably, so that the front surface of dashboard becomes complicated, and also the switch operability decreases.
As means for solving this problem, it is likely that a multidirectional switch described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-59374 is used.
The multidirectional switch described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-59374 is configured so that merely by sliding one slider capable of being slid in multiple directions on the same plane in eight directions, a switch operation equivalent to the eight independent eight-direction buttons can be performed. Therefore, by the use of the multidirectional switch described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-59374, the number of switch operating portions arranged in a planar form on the front surface of dashboard is decreased.
However, there is a limit to the decrease in the number of switch operating portions attained by the use of the multidirectional switch described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-59374 because of the construction and operation of the multidirectional switch. Therefore, there is a possibility that the multidirectional switch described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-59374 may be unable to sufficiently accommodate the increase in the number of switch operating portions predicted in the future. It is predicted that other switch operating portions may be added newly around the multidirectional switch. In this case, the number of switch operating portions arranged in a planar form on the front surface of dashboard increases again, which presents a problem in that the front surface of dashboard becomes complicated, and also the switch operability decreases.
Also, since the multidirectional switch described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-59374 has a construction such that one slider is slid in multiple directions on the same plane, if an unreasonable force such as to turn the slider is applied to the slider, the slider, a guide means for the slider, or the like is damaged. As a result, the slider becomes incapable of being slid in any direction, and thus malfunction as a multidirectional switch occurs.
In the multidirectional switch of this type, if the outer periphery of the switch operating portion for sliding the slider is formed into a polygonal shape having sides of the same number as the number of sliding directions to make the switch operator intuitively perceive the directions to which the slider can be slid, the possibility of the occurrence of the above-described trouble further increases. The reason for this is that the switch operator misunderstands as if the switch operating portion that cannot inherently be turned may be able to turn because the external shape of switch operating portion looks like the external shape of a bolt head or a nut, so that it is likely that chances of intending to turn the slider forcibly via the switch operating portion increase.